Regular Anomalies
by Iamalmosthuman
Summary: Phantom And Danny Fenton, are two COMPLETLY different people. Phantom is a ghost, Danny is the son of two ghost hunters that might not be off their rocker like everyone believes. These two, should never meet for their the sake of their mental health at the LEAST. However, when Danny saves Phantom from Danny's own parents. Things, of course, spiral out of control.(Pitch Pearl)
1. First Meetings

When Phantom first met Danny, it was defiantly on strange circumstances.

It was pitch black one minute, then he was in a strange machine the next that was buzzing with electricity. He was groggy and seeing the strange world around him only in blurry slurs. But as out of it as he was, he still knew that he was some sort of lab, for the room smelled of chemicals and was made up of sharp corners.

And then, there was Danny. Whom seemed to contradicted the very room itself. When Phantom was surrounded by a harsh neon green, Danny's eyes were a gentle liquid blue that hid behind his square framed glasses. His hair was as dark as the quiet night. The boy also had a certain softness to him in his features. A kind of tenderness in the air that surrounded him.

Even with chaos all around them, Phantom felt safe with this other teen.

The other boy, however. Obviously did not feel the same.

"You need to get out of here!"

The grogginess in Phantom's head started to ebb away, leaving a throbbing headache. "w- _what_? Why? Who _are_ you?!"

As soon Danny got Phantom safely out of the portal, he began searching for something in the closet at the far right. When Phantom wasn't so distracted with the boy anymore, he noticed how raw his skin felt. How his flesh on his skull pickled. And then there was the _pounding_. The _god-awful_ pounding, that seemed to come from his chest, making him feel heavy and sluggish.

Now slightly more observant and aware, he noticed that the other boy fared no better. He looked red, like his skin was just as raw as Phantom's. Blisters covered his arms and neck, his skin was peeled in some places, his lips were chapped and his hair was singed. Sweat covered his brow as if movement stole him all of energy.

Finally, the boy came back with a black HAZMAT suit. "I'm Danny Fenton. Now put this on, it'll hide your ectoplasm signature. Or else my parents will find you!"

Phantom looked down at his brown t-shirt and khaki shorts then back at Danny "I don't need to take off my cloths. Do I?"

Danny reddened as he forced a scowl "Of all the questions to ask, you ask me that one?! You don't need to take off your clothes, you just need to put this on!"

Both paused as they herd footsteps.

Danny suddenly became very pale.

Phantom still doesn't know how Danny did it, but in a blink, he had the HAZMAT suit on.

"You need to get out of here, now."

Phantom slowly blinked "What? How? -"

Danny shook his head as he grabbed Phantom by his forearms and thrusted him up. "I don't know!? Run, faze through the walls, _FLY_! I don't care, just _get out of here_ before my parents find you!"

Phantom gave him the most bizarre look he could muster " _fly_?!"

Danny froze and stared at him "you... you don't know?"

Phantom had a sudden urge to look down.

He was _floating_.

At the time, Phantom was too numb with shock to say anything.

The footsteps were a lot closer now.

Danny tensed at the door then glanced back at Phantom with a look of desperation " _Go_."

Phantom, finally obeyed.

 ***Authors note* So, I finally got on the pitch pearl ship… this is gonna be one WILD ride.**


	2. Explanations And Inconvenients

"I still can't believe that you _hacked_ into the school system and got me enrolled."

Tucker smirked and pushed his glasses back up his nose "You're impressed, aren't you Phantom?"

"You _bet_ I am!"

Sam rolled her lilac eyes "yeah. Great, Tucker committed a felony. Fantastic." She closed the purple laptop, showing a glimpse of her dark purple nails. "but my concern is what we're going to do for parent conference. Or who the school is going to call when they have to 'Phone Home'"

Tucker snorted "there are _soooo-_ many references I can use in that sentence alone."

Sam narrow her eyes "Don't. You. _Dare_."

Tucker's grin widens "ET phone home."

" _Tucker_."

"Sam, _who are you gonna call_?"

Phantom knew a war when he saw one. As hilarious as this was, the last thing they needed was for Sam to commit _murder_. Especially with how nasty Sam's kicks could be with her black commando boots "Ok guys, all jokes aside. Sam has a point."

Both paused their bickering with that. The three of them brainstormed for answers.

Tucker readjusted his red-orange beanie "Maybe we could pull off the 'two kids in a trench coat' trick?"

"Tuck, that's a terrible Idea." Sam deadpanned. She turned to Phantom "What if you overshadowed a couple? Or just one person? That could work."

Adam shook his head "Yeah, but for how long? Everyone knows everybody else in Amity." He started floating a few feet up from Sam's black carpet. He rested his head on both hands "Besides, what about when I'm not possessing them? People are going to ask them questions." He shrugged as he began to float upside-down "Plus, overshadowing people against their will is a bit mortally questionable. If avoidable, I would prefer not to use it."

Tucker pointed at Phantom "He's right."

Sam pondered at that. It was true, overshadowing in this scenario would only serve as a temporary solution that would cause more problems in the future.

Phantom crossed his legs pretzel style and slowly gravified back to the carpet. "what if we just take parents out of the problem all together?"

Sam and Tucker sent him unanimous bewildered looks.

Phantom elaborated. "I mean, what if I don't have parents? Or a parent? What if I'm in the foster system or something?" He gestured to Tucker "Tuck could make up a fake email that's the "home" and we just won't have to worry about parents all together. It'll be one less thing we must worry about. One less cover story we won't always have to be concerned over because, quite frankly, it's already true that I don't _have_ parents."

Tucker crossed his arms "ok, sounds legit. But, what if the school wants to meet the person that's the head of "the home" or whatever? What are we gonna do then?"

Sam shrugged "Overshadowing. Duh."

Tucker raised a brow "What's with you and overshadowing?"

Sam opened her laptop and began researching "It useful, as well as convenient. And, what we could do is overshadow the person that's head of "the-children's-orphanage-of-whatever" and momentarily possess them. It wouldn't be out of the norm, it wouldn't be considered as unusual behavior. And with how disorganized and clueless this town is, if someone asks them anything about Phantom, they'll be thinking about five other kids that they do the same thing for."

Tucker pinched his nose "you know, that's going to require me vertically perfectly mimicking and hacking into a most likely government funded website. By myself. Right? And that's _only_ if everything else in this crazy plan works." Tucker blinked in realization "And school costs _money_. How are we going to pay for that?!"

Sam waved him off "I'll have that covered."

Tucker took a deep breath "Phantom, how do you feel about being homeschooled?"

Phantom gave him a questioning look "By _whom_? And _forget_ online schooling, computers don't even properly _work_ around me. Not only that, but most ghost attacks happened at the school for whatever reason. Thank the stars above that school is closed since its summer, but it's going to be a _whole_ different story when school is in session."

Tucker rubbed his hands on his face. After a long moment of silence, He peeked through his fingers and gave Sam the evil eye "I blame you both for this. Especially you Phantom!"

Phantom had the decency to look bashful.

Tucker then gave him a strange look and put his hands back on his lap "How did we meet anyway? What crazy shenanigans brought us here?"

Phantom gave him a one-armed shrug "Sam. Months ago, she saw me in the streets, called you, got me into ghost hunting. Cause, you know. Fenton's experimenting on ghosts isn't good and what not. Then Bada-Bing-Bada-Boom here we are." And ever since then Phantom been switching back and forth houses between the two of them to stay in. In fact, right now they were in Sam's room.

Sam blinked and turned to Phantom. "You know, you never told us you real name. And Phantom is kinda stupid name for a ghost."

"A stupid nickname that you and Tucker _gave_ me!" but Phantom had to admit, it was a descent question. With everything else, the least he could do was give him his _real_ name.

Tucker grinned "Come on man, white hair? Green eyes? That practically _screams_ ghost. Just be happy that you don't have an extremely pale compaction or believe me, it would've been a lot worse." He paused "But seriously, what's your name?"

Phantom opened his mouth to tell them, but before he could. His throat burned and his tongue went slack. He gaged as he closed his mouth. "I- I literally can't tell you."

Sam gave a one shoulder shrug "Figured."

Surprised, Phantom and Tucker looked back at her " _how_?"

Sam turned her laptop towards them "In many religions and folklore, names hold power over the being. Particularly _ghosts_. In fact, in myths from all over the world, once a mortal learns the name of the ghost, the ghosts are bound to do whatever the human asks of them"

She turned to Tucker "Phantom not being able to tell us his name could be a self-defense mechanism." She paused "But other than that, I don't know how much the specific are true or what we can rely on. However, half of what I'm saying now could be false. I mean, Google can only be so reliable."

Phantoms' eyes widen "That would explain a lot, like why the ghosts don't use their real name as well!" Then he frowned "wait, Sam. Then why did you ask me my name in the first place?"

"I didn't know it was _true_! Besides, even if you _didn't_ have your defense mechanism, it's better that we know than someone else."

Phantom wasn't sure how he should feel about this.

Tucker pushed his glasses back to the bridge of his nose as he analyzed the screen "But this rule doesn't usually include humans. Phantom breaths, eats, and has a heartbeat just like any other person, and _unlike_ ghosts. Technically, Phantom is part human." He shut the laptop "So my question is, how much does this rule is Phantom bounded to? And, how tightly tied is he to the consequences?"

The room silenced.

Tucker cleared his throat and glanced at Phantom " _Any who_ , we still need a solid cover for you to go to school that doesn't raise any eyebrows."

Phantom rubbed his eyes "I don't know man, let's just get the paperwork in, I'll try to keep a low file. And if the school wants to see my guardian or whatever, I'll just ask someone in the ghost zone."

Sam blinked "... Well, for now, that's the best idea we got."

Phantom started to walk over to the alarm clock next to Sam's bed "what time is it anyway? The curtains are so dark I can't even tell if its day or night."

Tucker rolled his eyes "that's Sam for ya'."

Sam seemed pleased with this statement. "Sunshine is for dweebs any ways."

Phantom came back and sat down "Its ten thirty-five."

Tucker's eyes widen "At night?! Aw crap, I gotta get home before my mom takes my meatloaf privileges! See you guys later." And with that, he was already out the door.

Phantom looked at Sam then Back at the door "I'll crash on the bed in the guest room."

Sam analyzed him up and down "you know, you could take off that HAZMAT suit and I could get you something more ideal. I bet my dad has something he won't miss for you to wear as pajamas."

 _Put this on, it'll hide your ectoplasm signature. Or else my parents will find you!_

Danny's words rang in Phantoms' ears. He gave Sam a weak smile "I'm good, thanks."

Sam looked doubtful "… Alright. Tell me if you change your mind."

Phantom didn't think he would any time soon. The least he could do was follow Danny's advice when he couldn't thank him in person because his parents were ghost hunters.

In fact, if Phantom was smart, he would do what was healthy for him and stay as far away from Danny as _possible_.

But then his treacherous thoughts lingered back Danny's soft blue eyes.

Phantom had a feeling that doing what was "healthy" for him was going to be a lot harder than he could imagine.


	3. Lost in Green

One of the greatest advises Danny was ever given from his parents was that not everything was black and white. That in-between it all was green.

Yup, _green_. They told him that the night was black, the day was white, and the lush meadows were green. And to see all the word must offer and all the possibilities it could give, he had to learn to take in the big picture. Surprisingly profound for it to be coming from his dad.

And as of right now, Danny was _deep_ in an ocean of green with no sky or help in sight.

He fiddled with his fingers, played with his hair and re-adjusted his glass- anything that could keep him distracted from the bandages that itched his arms. Thankfully, baggy jeans did the job of hiding his legs. Currently he was finding a baggy enough sweater to hide his arms.

Not to hide the bandages, but the lack of.

His parents also told him that bandages would be best for him. They told him a doctor wouldn't be able to help because they were ectoplasm burns, and modern science didn't yet have they technology to help with ectoplasm- or even acknowledged that ectoplasm existed, while his parents studied it all their lives.

At first, Danny didn't protest, and he kept them on.

But Danny soon learned that bandages for him were a _bad_ idea. Something was put in them, and instead of the burns getting better, the blisters and swelling became even _worse_. When Danny asked his parents about it, they said that they put anti-ecto ingredients to eradicate the ectoplasm. They also told him to keep it on at all costs.

In the end, Danny decided that it wasn't worth it. Besides, even though it took a bit longer than it should have had, ever since he took off the bandages the burns and blisters were starting to fade.

Danny beamed when he found a faded sweater that fitted the bill. It was a dark navy blue with a red rocket ship sewn on the front. A bit cheesy for the first day of school, but would get the job done. He closed the drawer, took of the raggedy bandages and put on the old sweater.

Danny nearly froze as his mind suddenly wondered back to the ghost he helped.

His biggest relief was that the otherworldly boy had no sadism against humans. As impulsive as it was to help the first ghost that came through the portal, Danny didn't regret it. So far, the ghost or "Phantom" as he was seemingly preferred to be called did nothing wrong. Even if Danny nearly had a heart attack when he first saw Phantom of the television

He was borderline _terrified_ that his parents would recognize the black HAZMAT suit or that Phantom would slip then get himself caught and experimented on. This time Danny not being able to save him from being tortured for research. Thankfully, neither of those happened... _yet_.

Danny would've preferred that Phantom kept a low profile. After all, god only knows what his parents would do if they found out that he helped a _ghost_ of all people. But he could see why he would have gotten involved in ghost hunting. After all, if Danny was a ghost. He would much prefer to be caught by Phantom then by his own parents, whom he knew would have a _blast_ toying with whatever ghostly organs he would have.

Danny shivered violently at thought.

With a deep breath, he packed his books and grabbed his worn brown backpack.

Well, if there was one thing Danny knew for certain,

it was that the first day of school was going to _suck_.

Danny grabbed his glasses and cleaned then with the hem of his sweater. That, and if Phantom was smart, he would keep his distance from his family, including him. Not that Phantom would have any interest what-so-ever in a loner nerd like him.

Danny put back on his glasses and walked out the door. Besides, what were the odds that they would meet again anyways? And even if they did,

what was the worst that could happen?


	4. Unspoken Deals

Phantom shifted uncertainly in the alley way behind the school "Are you _sure_ that this is going to work?"

Tucker shifted his glasses back up his nose "Well, it was the best we could do. Since you almost never take off that HAZMAT suit. I _still_ can't believe we were able to convince you to ditch the boots and gloves."

Phantom looked back down at his new alter while trying to not think about the odor of the ally way. He had a black leather Jacket, dark blue-genes, with a plan white t-shirt. As well as blue sneakers. Of course, all of this was over the HAZMAT suit. "Where did you guys even _get_ this stuff? I look like a greaser from the fifties."

Phantom paused "Not that greasers weren't cool."

Tucker grinned "Good. Because we got those from the dumpster by the pawn shop."

Phantom blinked "wait. _What_?"

Sam gave Tucker a shove "He's joking. I got them from Amazon."

Phantom looked back at the Jacket and lifted the hem "That explains the fact how this isn't real leather."

Tucker adjusted the backpack on his shoulder as Sam grabbed hers "So man, ready for school?"

" _Hell no_."

Sam snorted "It's too late to back out now." She handed him a pair of dark sunglasses "I also got you this, to hide your eyes."

Tucker put his arm over Phantom's shoulders as he put on the glasses "By the way Phantom, the name I put down for your school application? It's Bill."

Phantom gave Tucker a look " _Bill_?" He looked desperately at Sam's direction for confirmation that this was also a joke.

Sam put the straps of her bag on her shoulders "Short for inviso-bill."

Phantom groaned as he started the all-too-short walk to school.

. . .

What surprised Phantom the most, was the fact that no one recognized him. Seriously, he didn't even die his platinum hair a more normal color and his HAZMAT sleeves showed whenever he took off his jacket, the white t-shirt covered the logo but _still_.

This was both reliving and concerning.

Well, _almost_ everyone seemed fooled. Phantom may not be the most observant guy, but even he could tell that Danny wasn't duped.

As soon as they're eyes met, they froze in the hallways. After seconds pasted, both avoided eye contact and walked past the other. Somehow, a silent agreement was made.

The simple deal that they would avoid each other at _all costs_.

Too bad that this "contract" of sorts didn't make past third period.

In fact, as agreements go, this was by far the least well kept. Mainly because they were both now stuck in the custodians' closet together. Alone.

Ghost monsters sucked. Especially the one that was creeping outside the closet long after "Phantom" with the help of Sam and Tucker, of course evacuated everyone out of the school.

 _Almost_ everyone.

He had to hand it to Danny, the guy could disappear if he wanted to. Which is really saying something since Phantom was a ghost. Well mostly.

Both froze as the monster's footsteps echoed outside.

This monster, truly unnerved Phantom. The ghost wasn't looking for petty revenge or have complete dominations over everything under the freaking sun. Yet, this ghost wasn't a mindless beast ether that raged and torn down whatever was in its' path.

This ghost, was very, _very_ different. And if Phantom was honest with himself, that terrified him. Not just because she was different, or unfamiliar. But because how she was so.

She walked around with a porcelain mask that was stoic and cold. At least, one would think it was porcelain with how delicate the feachers where, how one could make view of cracks down the left side of the forehead. But as soon as Phantom naturally looked further for strings or something that held up the unnerving mask, he saw with a mute horror that nothing like that held up the mask at all. It was _sewn on_.

And the mask was never porcelain to begin with. But rather a once beautiful individuals skin.

As soon as Phantom knew what "the mask" made of, he realized bit by bit how gruesome the face was, and that it was never beautiful to begin with. That the lips as red as blood were torn in microscopic shreds, as if those were sewn closed once, or that one eye being slightly lower that the other wasn't the fault of an unsteady artist hand, but the flesh decaying. Though, there weren't really _eyes_ , just an empty, dark, black gasp like O's where the eyes and mouth were supposed to be.

And when she spoke,

all Phantom could hear was _nonsense_. A series of wet hissing and a soft melody, was all he could hear.

As soon as the being lumbered away, Phantom grabbed ahold of Danny's arm, they need to get out of here, _now_. Phantom refused to admit to himself how much it stung when Danny winced at his touch. And-

wait.

When Phantom grabbed Danny's' arm, the sleeve shifted to show ugly burns. Phantom's eyes widen. Those burns should have healed _months_ ago,

Danny wasn't paying attention to that though, he was more focused on the fact that the longer Phantom held on, the more the wounds faded.

Danny's voice sounded dry and small, as if those words could shatter him. Yet there was a forced playful manner to them "Ok _Bill C. Gaplord_ , what now?"

Phantom gave him a lively annoyed glance, aware that Danny's teasing of his false persona was him trying to cope. To give him a sense that nothing was wrong. Like it was a game, a game Phantom need to join to get what needed to be done. A game that Phantom could play. "My name is _Adam Leatherwood_. Thank you very much."

Phantom froze, that was _not_ what he wanted to say. A thrill traipsed down both of their spines. Which was _insane_ , how could Phantom have any ability to know what Danny was feeling? A raw power sizzled the air, as if a pledge, or a vow of sorts was made. Fear orchestrated through Phantom's nerves, raising hackles. What sort of _idiot_ was he?! Giving his name, and not just anyone, oh no. But a son to a _ghost hunter_.

As agreements go, avoiding Danny was by far the least well kept. No doubt on that.

The ghoul with the mask must have felt the pulse of eldritch power as well, for her roar echoed with a strange sort of hunger.

Much to Phantom's confusion, despite the warm atmosphere, blue mist pooled out of Danny's mouth.


	5. A Certain Strangeness

Danny knew things that he shouldn't. It was always a quirk of his.

Danny shouldn't know that the ghost with the mask was a mother, Danny shouldn't know that she was coming very, very soon, or even that those soft hisses were a sad, sad song. But he did know. He shouldn't of, _he couldn't of_. But he did.

Danny forced his voice to quite to a whisper and pushed all questions at the back of his mind "We need to get out of here- "

That's when the masked ghost busted open the door.

Danny grabbed Phantoms shoulders and pulled him closer as the door detonated. Now out of is daze and shock, Phantom covered Danny's body with his own while turning the both of them intangible when the splinters of wood shot out like quills as sharp as daggers. As they held each other, Danny could hear Phantoms heartbeat rage against his own. It was like an ocean to his ears.

( _Phantom_?)

( _Pulse_?)

(... _**Heart**_ _?_ )

The masked ghost stared at them unblinkingly, long red worm-like strings suddenly unfurled from her eyes and mouth then rapped around Phantom. The movements so swift that Danny just saw fragments of a blur. Like a video on fast-forward.

As Phantom was thrust forward he yelped, now eye-to-eye with the masked lady. Her head lithe to the right, like Phantom and Danny were the true oddities in the room. She pulled Phantom closer to examine him, spare red strings (tentacles?) stroked his face and gaged him, Phantom looked like he was about to vomit "... strange, you're _warm,_ " she looked back at Danny "and you..." She leaned towards him "you're so full of life, yet you feel so _cold_." she straitened up "cold like the dead." By the tone of her voice, Danny could swear that she was grinning "A being more human than ghost, and a human more ghost than mortal. How... _intriguing_. How very, very strange indeed."

Danny nervously glanced at the masked woman then back at Phantom, who's muscles were tensing and contracting as he tried to break free, his form flickered as he tried to turn intangible, or invisible, or both trying break free to no avail. A single possessive thought consumed Danny, he needed to get Phantom out of there, _now_.

( _why should he care so much_?)

( _He wouldn't want this on anyone, but why put so much_ _ **risk**_?)

( _Why did this- this_ _ **obsession**_?)

Danny thoughts raced by the nanosecond, for all of his good grades, his mind went blank. Only one solution came up,

a _distraction_.

To stall until he actually came up with a way to free Phantom. Danny moistened his lips and swallowed as he looked up to the masked lady, squared his shoulders and pushed up his glasses. "Who _are_ you?"

Phantoms struggling creased a bit as he gave Danny a look that said _'are you out of your mind?! RUN you idiot!_ '

Danny resisted the urge to tell him that it was very clear to Danny that he might as well be wearing a red dress to a bull fight.

The masked lady paused "my name has been long forgotten. All that I remember was that I was a lady whom gave my love _everything_ , my mansion. My lands... and he cut off my hands." Her eyes stared holes into him "the young living skins are so elastic... so _strong_ , maybe I could steal your skins..." her eyes seem to glistened "and finally be _whole_ again."

Danny analyzed he with horror as he realized that yes, her hands where once cut off. That they were pieced together with stitches as well. He tried to even his breathing "you seem to be taking your time."

"I didn't think I would meet a mortal that was a Nameholder. Or could understand the tongue of the dead and decayed"

Danny head cocked to the left, he didn't even bother trying to hid his confusion "Wait, _Nameholder_?"

As soon as Danny said those words Phantom froze and stopped all struggling. It was enough proof to Danny that something important was going on that was beyond his grasp and control.

She hummed, Danny wasn't sure how he could tell when it came out more like a hiss. As she came closer to him, Danny resisted the urge to run. Not that Danny thought he could at this state, with knees locked in his place and his glasses shaking from Danny's shivering, not only out of fear. But also because of the cold.

Every inhale for air cut into his lungs like silvers of glass when his breath turned an icy blue as the masked lady leaned forward. The red worms that still had a tight hold of Phantom as she dissecting and analyzing Danny's every move. She raised a blackened hand and gently stroked Danny's face with her knuckles "Oh, how you're cold. So very, _cold_."

Danny ignored her as he took a step back, away from her black, corrupted hand. "So, you now know that there's a mortal Nameholder. Whoopee- do. What are you going to do now?"

She hesitated, and didn't answer.

Danny blinked in surprise as she dropped Phantom "Um, okkkaayy? Not that I'm complaining, but what made you change your mind?"

However, the masked Lady didn't seem to be listening as her words repeated like a broken recorder "Nameholder, Nameholder, _Nameholder_. Where is _my_ Nameholder?" She clung to her scalp " _Souls are names, names are souls. Where is_ _ **my**_ _soul? Where is my mind? Where is my_ _ **name**_ _?_ _**Where, oh where, is my Nameholder**_?" She gasped as if trying to hold of tears "Nameholder, Nameholder, _Nameholder_. Where is _my_ Nameholder?"

Phantom got up and held Danny protectively as he stared at the masked lady like he was trying to unravel a cypher.

Danny could only gawk in a catatonic paralysis. Like Phantom, he was at lost for words. Before Danny could think of something to say or do, she vanished.

"Lets... let's get out of here."

Danny could only stare at the ground where the masked lady vanished. As Phantom lifted him of the ground, Danny's cotton stuffed brain numbly realized that yes,

Phantom was _warm_.

Warm like the living.


	6. The Aftereffect

"What... what _happened_?" Sam pinched the bridge of her nose "And why didn't you just take him home?" She drawled as soon as she took one look at Danny. Who was startled to the bone. Not that Phantom looked much better.

Phantom shook his head as he instinctually held Danny close, not yet ready to put him down. As if holding him closer would give Phantom his name back and make Danny better. "I honestly couldn't tell you. And don't freak out, but he knows everything. That's why I didn't bring him home, we got to clear up some stuff."

Both Danny and Phantom jolted when Tucker seemingly appeared from no-where "Like, _everything_ , everything or- "

Phantom was the first to recover from Tucker's surprise appearance "Like, Danny knows my name, he-knows-everything."

Tucker face-palmed "... of course. What else?"

Danny frowned as he finally got his wits together "I'm _right_ here."

Sam yanked Danny out of Phantoms grasp and she grabbed Danny by the shoulders " _listen here_ , just because you know Phantoms real name, it doesn't mean that you get to do whatever you want from him." Her voice was laced with venom and had the tonality of a military sergeant "Ghost or not, he's not some toy or marionette that you can pull the stings and make him dance to your sick bibbing. _Got it_."

Danny jerked out of her grasp "What are you _talking_ about?! One, I have no twisted intention to manipulate anyone like the psycho you mistaken me to be. You have my word on _that_. Second, what does Phantoms' true name have _anything_ to do with that," Danny looked around "and third, where in hell on high am I?!"

Neither Danny nor Phantom noticed when Phantom did a protective stance to put distance between Sam and Danny.

Tucker pushed his glasses back to the bridge of his nose "In order, we have a theory that whoever knows Phantoms name could make him do anything they want, and you're in Sam's kitchen."

Sam elbowed Tucker hard in the ribs

"Ow! What the heck?!"

"You don't just give out valuable information like that!" Sam hissed.

"Oh? And what, you giving him that lecture wasn't going to set off some bells?!" Tucker added wryly, with an annoyed growl tinted in his voice.

Sam opened her mouth to protest but closed it and changed her mind.

Tucker looked back at Danny "Well, now that Phantoms' free will and secret it in your hands, might as well ask what your name is."

"And tell us what happened that led to- " Sam gestured to Danny and Phantom " _this_."

Phantom glanced back and forth to Sam and Tucker "It's kinda of a long story."

Tucker shrugged and sat down at the long table in the center of the kitchen "We got time."

. . .

Phantom gave Danny a startled look "Wait- you could understand everything that thing was saying?!"

Danny gave Phantom an even stranger look "and you _couldn't_? And she was speaking English, Phantom."

"Um, no? She wasn't? _At all_. And what's a Nameholder supposed to do?"

Danny shrugged

Tucker looked back and forth between Phantom and Danny "err, guys? As interesting this is, I think that we have more pressing matters to be worried about. Like, if Danny really can make Phantom do whatever he wants now."

The tension in the room thickened.

Phantom paused "we could test it."

Danny scrunched his nose "absolutely _not_. It's messed up and-"

"-And we can't know for certain unless we try." Phantom shifted his chair "It'll have to be something blatantly obvious."

Danny gave Phantom a scrutinized glanced that peered over his glasses "Well no, _duh_."

Phantom glowered at Danny.

Tucker and Sam gave each other an uneasy look, neither liking this more than the other.

Tucker pushed his glasses to the bridge of his nose "Should we incorporate Phantoms real name with the command-" all the occupants cringed at the at the last word. Tucker tried to do some quick thinking and searched for the right words "Or-I- well. Know what? I'll shut up now."

It was quiet for an uncomfortably long time.

Danny took a deep breath and peered at Phantom just over his glasses "Are you sure that you want to test this out?"

Phantom didn't say anything, but gave a stiff nod and griped on his seat of his chair.

 _. . ._

After multiple tests, they've concluded that Danny had absolutely no control what-so-ever of Phantom.

Tucker shrugged "so much for Google."

Sam hummed in agreement.

For a while, they all sat in comfortable and relieved silence.

Danny, who was before had his arms folded on the table and resting his head sat up "You know, I've been meaning to ask. What do you guys do with the ghosts after you've fought them?"

Sam and Phantom shared a look. Phantom glanced back at Danny "they kinda just, go away on their own?"

Danny stared at the three of them with a look of moderate horror.

Tucker shrugged "I mean, what do you _expect_ us to do? It's not like Phantom can summon portals or that we conveniently had a handy set of handcuffs that ghosts couldn't pass through." Tucker paused "and it's not like we could use your parents, the _only ghost hunters_ in town tools'. For one, they would have to be total idiots not to notice. And two, most of their stuff that they make are supposed to like, kill ghosts. Exterminate. Obliterate. Whatever term you want to use."

"And that would kinda go against everything that we're trying to do." Sam added.

Danny pushed up his glasses "Alright, but what if I brought my parents blue prints with materials and we could adjust it to how we need it?"

"You think we could do that?" Tucker said, "I mean, these are afterlife proof stuff that we're talking about."

Danny hesitated "Well, like I said, we'll have my parents blueprint. So, we'll at least have something to go off by. And we don't really have any other options."

Sam heavy boots slammed the table as she laid back on her chair "I'm in."

Tucker snorted "We already went against authority figures and society, what's thievery to the list of illegal felonies' that we've committed?"

Phantom frowned "Is it really a felony if Danny's giving it to us?"

Danny gave the three of them a curious look "you have a list of felonies' you've commented?"

"The better question is that what felonies we've commented." Sam corrected. She seemed a bit smugger about it then she should be.

After that answer, Danny couldn't help but wonder what possessed him to get involved in this mess.


	7. Getting Lost (on Purpose)

Phantom was lost.

Not in the literal sense, but in a way where a ghost was ranting in a different language in Tuckers house on the floor where Phantom was supposed to be sleeping. Kind of lost.

Tucker, who Phantom learned could sleep through the end of the world, was snoring like there _wasn't_ an intruder in his room, was no help at all.

Phantom gave a nervous chuckle "Look, I would like to help you, but I got absolutely no idea what you're saying."

With that, the entity stopped talking. The ghost was a small girl, with blue skin like she froze to death, cinnamon red eyes and flowing blue hair. She couldn't have had been more than ten.

She, too, looked lost. And _hopeless_. She drifted to the floor, red dress drooping and became very, very quiet.

"well, _I_ can't understand you." Phantom gave a small smile " _But_ , I think I know someone who can."

The girl suddenly burst with life and grabbed Phantoms' hand as she yanked him upward.

Phantom yelped from the sudden motion "I guess this can't wait until morning, huh?"

The ghost grinned, her sharp teeth gleaming.

Phantom prayed that he wasn't going to regret this.

 _. . ._

Blue mist pooled out of Danny's mouth. If he has any angrier Phantom would've bet his afterlife that it would've teemed from his ears. "do you _know_ what time is it?! We have _school_ tomorrow _you damn ass_ -"

Phantom knew both of those facts all too well "Nice to see you too Danny. And it's a good thing that time's an illusion because we have to help this girl with, something... I think?"

Danny face palmed.

The ghost looked amused.

Danny paused, and finally got one good look at the girl. He sighed " _Alright_. Alright, lemme get my glasses." He motioned them in from the window. "the both of you might as well come inside."

Phantom took a good look around. For a son of a ghost hunter he expected a lot more... guns. And weapons. Maybe some blueprints.

But not posters of NASA, model spaceships and glow in the dark stars plastered everywhere in perfect constellations. And _that_ was the most unusual aspect of it. The air was stale like when a kid kept the doors closed for too long and the floor was littered with dirty laundry. Just like any other room.

"I am not going to apologize for the mess by the way."

Phantom turned back to Danny "huh?"

Danny narrowed his blue eyes that hid behind square frames "wake me up, expect a mess. no more on the subject."

Phantom gave him a strange look "...Ok?"

Danny grunted and stumbled a bit.

Phantom frowned. Danny was a guy who appreciated his sleep and can't function properly without it, _duly noted_.

The girl seemed to be just entertained by this whole affair.

Danny finally grabbed and adjusted his glasses comfortably then turned to the girl "Ok, first things first, what's your name?"

 _. . ._

Even sleep deprived from nightmares of ghosts and having about four hours of sleep, Danny could tell that all Phantom heard was a series of mumbo jumbo. Danny decided that a ghost unable to understand his own language, while Danny _could,_ was a question that quite frankly he didn't give a damn about right now.

Danny gestured to the girl "Phantom? Meet Perdu."

Phantom raised a brow "isn't that just French for Lost?"

"Isn't Phantom just another word for ghost?"

Phantom opened his mouth to argue, but then shut it.

Danny shrugged "besides, you guys have a thing against using real names, remember?"

"... fair enough." Phantom then faltered for a bit "wait, did you just translate French into ghost speak?"

Before Danny could reply, Perdu gave an impatience grunt.

Danny cleared his throat "ah, right. Sorry. You were saying?"

 _. . ._

"Let me get this straight.The monster that we saw yesterday is related," Phantom pointed to Perdu "to _her_."

Danny nodded "Mother and daughter to be precise."

Perdu frowned "It is also rude to point. _Phantom_."

Of course, Phantom didn't understand this, but the annoyed scowl was enough of an ideation.

Phantom eyes narrowed "you seem unusually calm about this"

Danny shrugged "Honestly? I had my suspicions. Also, I live in a world were ghosts exists. Anything is possible at this point."

"good point." Phantom grunted "And she wants us to help her track her mom down?"

Danny shrugged "we sorta have to"

Perdu nodded "I can't last much longer. She's my Nameholder. And I, hers."

Phantom looked blankly at Perdu.

"They're each other's Nameholders." Danny translated.

Perdu focused her stare onto Phantom "You, you truly don't understand what I'm saying. Do you?"

Phantom turn back at Danny "I feel like she insulted me. Am I close?"

Danny shook his head "not even." Danny then paused "wait." He turned back at Perdu "why did you go to Phantom first? The portal is in my basement. I was closer."

Perdu made a face "you have a portal in your _basement_?"

"I- yes?"

But before Danny could say more, Perdu stopped him "Look, I need to find my mother. If we're going talk, we're going to do it while we try to find her."

Danny gave Phantom a weak smile "So, how do you feel about going on a ghost hunt?"


	8. Knowing

Danny didn't know how to feel about all the strange looks Perdu kept giving him.

He didn't know how to feel about a lot of things.

Danny heard so many stories and possibilities of the Ghost Zone. None of them were even close to the truth.

The green was in so many shades, mixed with backlashes of purple. Things drifted without explanation or reason. But it was really the feel, a buzz of strange energy that got him. The wildness of the forgotten, whispers of the old and ancient. It was both overwhelming and enthralling.

He huddled closer to Phantom, who held him bridal style, with eyes wide and held on tight. The only person keeping him adrift and from falling to the void that ends in god-knows-where.

Phantom re-adjusted his grip and gave Danny a concerned look "Um... are you ok?"

Danny kept his eyes on the ghost zone "Doesn't it... doesn't it bother you?" Didn't Phantom _feel_ it? Phantom was a ghost, after all. Wasn't this his home?

Phantom looked back at the Ghost Zone "Well, to be honest it is kinda creepy. But, I mean, I could get used to this." a beat "Does anyone know which way we're supposed to be going?"

Everyone slowed to a stop.

Danny pointed a bit to the left "That way,"

"what- how do you even _know_?" Perdu squeaked.

Danny hesitated, all that guided him was a familiar taste of energy that pulled him to the right way like a compass. "Just- just, trust me on this."

Phantom and Perdu gave each other a glance, Phantom looked back at Danny "what did she say?"

"She wants to know how I know which way to go," Danny said

"Ah, that makes sense," Phantom replied.

The group then started moving. Perdu drifted closer to Danny "This- this is so weird."

Danny snorted "you're telling me. I'm in a mirror dimension, hunting down your mom on a school night-"

She shook her head "not that," Perdu nodded her head towards Phantom "him." Her ruby eyes flickered back at Danny "And you too."

She looked towards the abyss of green "Humans don't just know ghost speak, ghosts do. It's a language within a language. A basics for everyone to fall back on when the eons and eons of nomenclature became too much of anyone to keep track anymore."

She looked back at Danny "for example, when I was alive, all I knew was old French. In mindset, such a small part of the Ghost Zone knows such a language."

"But, can't you understand English?" Danny asked Perdu.

"Somewhat. I was taught some English as well. But it was old English and I had long since forgot or cared to learn to speak it."

Danny considered it, "Fair enough," he re-adjusted his glasses "what about Nameholders? Can you tell me about those?"

She paused "Ghost, we... we can forget who we are with too much ease with all things considering." She stared back at the emptiness, considering her words. "Time does that to any individual. And when we forget or apart from our Nameholder for too long, our obsession takes over making anyone like... well, like my mother."

Danny glanced at Phantom, who looked as confused as hell, and made a silent promise to fill him in later then looked back at Perdu "Alright, but can't arguably anyone do that? And what makes names so important?"

She shook her head "I don't know why names hold such power. They just _do_. And no, not anyone. There's a bond made when one becomes a Nameholder. It can take years to earn that kind of trust-"

"whoa- hold on a second, _years_? I just became Phantoms' Nameholder by accident." Danny then pointed right "we also need to go this way now."

Phantom frowned "dude, you're not speaking English. Haven't been for a while now."

Danny blinked "really?"

Phantom nodded "That's better. Yeah, what did you say?"

"We need to go right."

Phantom looked at the general direction "Got it."

Danny also decided to also apologize for not keeping Phantom in the loop when they got home. He looked back at Perdu "what... what do you mean by _years_."

"What do you mean by _accident_?!" Perdu snapped back

Danny raised his hands "I- look! We were in the closet and stressed out, 'cause your mom was out to get us, then Phantom spit out his name and it just- went on from there?"

Perdu snapped her head to Phantom's direction, and her lips curled to a snarl "you're an _idiot_."

Phantom rolled his eyes "I can't understand you" he huffed.

She turned back to Danny with fists clinched "tell him that he's an idiot."

"um, Phantom? She wants me to tell you that you're an idiot."

"ouch." Was Phantom's input "but why?"

"The closet incident." Danny clarified

"... Oh." Phantom paused "yeah, that was kinda stupid."

Perdu, however, was teeming. "How- how can you be so calm?! Your entire existence relies on-" She pointed to Danny "on _him_ " She dropped her hand "No offence."

"None taken." Danny muttered. Then, suddenly he went rigid as blue mist pooled out of his mouth "She's close."

Phantom's spine stiffens as Perdu raised a brow "Close? How Close-"

"DUCK!" Phantom screamed as a flash of red swinged in their direction. Thankfully, Perdu followed suit and they dived down.

Perdu paled as she got the first good look of her mother in decades. Her eyes slowly looked up and down, seeing how black her mother's hands were and that her eyes and mouth were filled with long, smooth tentacles "oh mere... "

Perdu then snapped out of it as she drew closer waving her arms furiously "Mother, mommy! It's me! It's your- "

Phantom rammed into Perdu as another flash whirled by in a violent streak of red blazed by her. The three of them crash-landed into a near-by drifting piece of earth. Phantom groaned and rubbed his temple " _owwwww_ ,"

Perdu, however, jumped right back up. Her eyes were wide and panicked as her hands trembled "How do I fix this? _How do I fix this_?" she muttered to herself feverishly. Over and over and _over_ she seemed to ask her self this.

Phantom and Danny gave each other a nervous look, sweat glistened Phantom's forehead as Danny's eyelashes and hair were tipped in frost, his skin and lips a tinge of blue. Phantom's eyes widen with worry "... Danny?"

Danny, however, wasn't listening "Perdu, say her name."

Perdu shook her head franticly "It can't... I don't- I don't think it's that simple-"

"Well you got any better ideas?!" Danny hissed, panic creeping in as the woman drifted closer.

The masked lady had the red strings spewing from her mouth, ears, and eyes. They drooped down in front of her. Swaying like the thin branches of a willow tree on an angry spring storm. But she also looked so _confused_. And, almost ashamed, but she didn't seem know why.

Phantom swiftly glided in front of Danny, ready for a fight. His hand glowing with an angry toxic green and curled into fists.

Danny wrapped his arms around Phantom's torso, keeping him from lashing out. "Phantom... cover your ears."

Phantom dropped his fists, confused, the green running dry from his hands "What?"

Danny let go and covered his own "trust me."

Phantom, with a spark of realization did as he was told. Phantom then nodded to Perdu. For this, no words were needed.

Perdu swallowed, then turned to her mother. Her broken, lost, mother. And said one word.

And one word was all it took.

A very familiar energy plowed through the Ghost Zone. It was raw, and hit ringed threw them both _hard_.

The masked lady retreated her strings, as her lips, for the first time in a long time trembled a single word.

Both Danny and Phantom hesitantly released their ears. Danny gave a small smile "That's it, huh? No flashes of light, no fireworks. Nothing."

Phantom gave Danny a lopsided smile as well "Honestly I expected some form of transformation. A metamorphosis if you will."

Danny paused "I can see that."

Both the Masked Lady and Perdu seemed to care block out everything else as the clashed into each other, clinging to the other as Perdu heaved heavy, green tainted tears. And the Masked Lady comforted and rocked her child side to side for the first time in possibly centuries.

Danny felt something in his heart soften "... I think we should leave them be."

Phantom nodded "definitely," a beat "hey, why do you think Perdu didn't like, forget everything like her mom?"

Danny paused to consider "No clue. But right now, I just want to go home."

Phantom gently lifted him bridal style "Whatever you wish" and began glided the both of them homewards.


End file.
